Secrets To Getting The Best Deals At A Garage Sale

Garage sale season is in full swing and I am loving it! What better way to save money than by hitting up a good old fashioned garage sale. You can often find items at a fraction of the cost with absolutely nothing wrong with them. With a little advance planning and some creative moves you can be sure you get the best deals at a garage sale.

The early bird catches the worm.– There is a lot to be said about being the first one at a garage sale. Baby and children's items are quick sellers and are often gone within the first hour of a garage sale. Load up the car early and make sure to pack plenty of snacks and drinks for your outing. You won't be able to concentrate on your outing with your tummy grumbling. Make sure you keep plenty of sun block and sunglasses in the car. Better yet make yourself a garage sale bag and keep it with you in the car at all times. You just never know when you will see a surprise sale along the way.

Plan your route in advance. – When searching your area for garage sales you will find that they often list items that they are selling that you are interested in. Map out a plan and keep in mind timing, location and what you are looking for to keep from missing the best deals. Keeping track of your route on paper can be very beneficial and keep your car from looking like a nightmare full of newspapers and sheets of paper.

Keep a list of what you are looking for.– To stop the impulse buying and wasting your hard earned money keep a list of what you are looking for. Garage sales are a great place to buy school clothes and household items but you won't be getting much of a deal if you are piling up on things that you don't necessarily need. Keep your list in your purse at all times and include sized for each person you are looking for.

Give everything the once over before you buy. – There is nothing worse than finding that perfect item only to get home and discover it is full of stains or completely un-usable. Double check all clothes for stains, missing buttons and broken zippers to save you the trouble of finding it later. Check household items for broken dishes, hinges and pieces. It's nice to score a deal on a fixer upper as long as you can get it fixed up when you get home!

Watch for block or church sales. – Often times you will find less expensive items at a block or church sale. Block sales have got to compete with the rest of the houses on the block and trust me when I say they will want to have the cheapest prices on those days! Church sales are great for finding a great deal and often times they are trying to raise money for their church and the items are often donated and this can lead to a better deal for you!

Don't be afraid to haggle. – I don't know how much money I have lost out on saving over my lifetime at garage sales because I was afraid to open my mouth and ask for a lower price. Now you don't want to go and offend them by offering them a price that is just not nice. Take a look at the price they are asking and think about what you really want to pay. Once you come up with a fair price just ask. If they don't drop the price you can always walk away. You also have the option of coming back later or giving them your phone number just in case they change their mind.

Ask for bulk discounts.– When you run across a garage sale that has tons of items in the size that you are looking for you can always try to get a better deal when buying in bulk. Let's say at garage sale “A” they have jeans listed at $5 bucks each. They have 10 pairs that will fit you and you want to try to score a better deal. The listing price that they have would run you $50 at their price so why not try to offer $25 bucks for the whole bunch. They just may take you up on the offer to move the merchandise. You may just happen to be the only one that stops by that day that will fit in their jeans and they know that and hopefully will work with you. If they say no to your offer just ask what kind of deal they can make for you. Sometimes those holding the garage sale want to be the ones making the deal so give them a chance.

So now that you are ready and able to get the best deals at a garage sale you can set out for a day of garage sale success! Do you have any tips that have worked for you when trying to get the best deal at a garage sale? Please share with us in the comments below so we can all have a successful garage sale experience.

ss! Do you have any tips that have worked for you when trying to get the best deal at a garage sale? Please share with us in the comments below so we can all have a successful garage sale experience.

Vow to stand out.Daisy Teh is a Mom Makeover Expert and Beauty Blogger inspiring moms to be confident, savvy and purposeful but to also make time for themselves. Daisy is a mom of four married to Dad Fashion Blogger, George Teh. {Proverbs 31: 10-31} Project Inquiries: [email protected]